Last week a group of Year 5s had a brilliant time at the RE & SMSC Junior Conference, an 'opportunity for inspirational RE and SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, Cultural)'. The theme of the conference was ‘speak up’ and how children’s voices can be powerful forces for positive change.
The Elmhurst children joined 12 other schools across the borough to engage in dialogue & creative activities. They used Philosophy for Children (P4C) and had chance to reflect on what various religions and world-views say about how we should use our voices. There were plentiful opportunities to express their thinking creatively through the use of the arts. 
The conference had the following aims for the children:
- Promote dialogue between young people of differing religions, worldviews and cultures, supporting collaborative work.
- Contribute to community benefit and empower children to solve real-world problems.
- Give children them the opportunity to meet and debate with young people who may have different points of view to their own.
Thank you to RE Matters in Newham for organising this inspiring event. The children who attended are now able to share what they learnt with their peers & inspire others to use their voices. It's so important in today's world that we are nurturing thoughtful children who can use their voices to drive positive change.
